Mr. Burns stopped glaring at Diablo long enough to shoot Reese a questioning look. “Huh?”

  “Do you feel drained?” Reese said it slowly, as if Mr. Burns was a five-year-old. “Your happiness?”

  Mr. Burns frowned deepened. “Well…no, but—”

  “No buts.” Reese stopped himself from forming fists. The panther shifter was really a nice guy, but Reese knew all too well how fears made even the nicest people unreasonable. Diablo’s life thus far had been pretty messed up, and Reese wasn’t going to allow anyone to shame his mate for what he was.

  Mr. Burns looked at Diablo with a scathing glare. “I think I’ll take my business elsewhere.”

  “That’s your choice.” Reese watched as Mr. Burns grabbed the cat carrier and walked out.

  Diablo turned on his heel and headed toward the back. Reese looked at Maggie. “Go ahead and grab lunch.”

  He needed time alone with Diablo, and if things turned into a shouting match, he didn’t want her hearing anything that wasn’t her business to hear.

  “I don’t understand Mr. Burns anger,” she said. Her gaze swept over Diablo with curiosity.

  He could see she wanted to say more, to ask more questions, but Reese wasn’t in the mood right now. “Please, just go to lunch.”

  “Sure.” Maggie grabbed her purse from behind her desk and walked out.

  Reese locked the front door and headed toward the back because his mate was already out of sight. He found Diablo in the exercise area, his arms crossed, staring up at the sky.

  “Diablo.”

  “That’s only the first taste of what’s going to happen,” Diablo said without looking at Reese. His jaw was set hard, clenched to the point he should have shattered teeth. “In a few months, maybe less, you won’t have any clients, Reese.”

  “How do you know that?” Reese wanted to move closer, to pull Diablo into his arms, but his gut was telling him to wait, that Diablo wouldn’t appreciate the comfort right now.

  “I’ve lived through this type of shit my entire life.” Diablo shook slightly, and Reese wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or the man’s anger. “Word will spread, and then you’ll have one cancellation after the other. Some might not even make an appointment because they know I’m here. Do you know how hard it is to find a job because of what I am? If I wasn’t such a savvy investor, I’d be broke.”

  “I don’t give a shit how many clients I lose,” Reese stated more harshly than he meant to. “That’s that honest truth, Diablo. You’re my mate, and any nonhuman worth his or her salt knows how precious a mate is. Fine, let Mr. Burns travel to the city to get his cat the care it needs. Let all my preternatural clients do that. I don’t give a shit because—”

  “Do you even hear yourself?” Diablo dropped his arms as he finally looked at Reese. “How long have you been in practice, Reese?”

  “Seven years,” Reese said.

  “And you’re willing to throw away something you love for me?” Diablo shook his head. “Not happening. You might not need this place to financially survive, but I see how you are with the animals, how much you care for them. Fuck, I used to be one of your patients. I saw firsthand how much you love what you do, and I’m not going to let your practice suffer because of me.”

  Before Reese could say anything else, Diablo stomped up the back stairs and let himself into their apartment. Reese stood there unsure of what to do. He’d shut his business down if that meant Diablo’s peace of mind, but his mate, stubborn man that he was, refused to see that, refused to see just how much Reese loved him and was willing to sacrifice everything for him.

  Reese trailed up the steps and into the apartment, following Diablo’s scent to their bedroom. His jaw dropped when he saw his mate packing. “What are you doing?”

  “I won’t ruin your life, Reese.” He shoved his belongings into that waterproof bag he’d had stuffed inside that tree on Luke’s property.

  “So running is the solution?”

  Diablo turned and narrowed his eyes. Reese hated when his mate was this furious. “Do you think it’ll stop with your practice, Doc? No, it won’t. I’ve been through this scenario a million times. Townsfolk will start harassing you because I’m here. They’ll try to drive you out of town, Reese. This is only the beginning, and I refuse to let them take their fears out on you. You’re doing exactly what you love, and I refuse to rob you of that.”

  “What I love is you,” Reese argued. “Gonna rob me of my mate, Diablo? Gonna walk out of my life that easily?”

  Diablo wasn’t the only one whose anger had spiked. Reese was ready to beat the shit out of his mate to try and knock some sense into him.

  Diablo sighed, his hand curled around the bag on their bed. “You just don’t get it, Reese. Xylem is only the latest threat against me. I’ve been doing this my entire life. I’m used to cut-and-run situations. You’re not. I won’t have you running because of me. I won’t uproot your life like that.”

  “Stay.”

  “To what end?” Diablo asked. “Stay hidden in your apartment so no one knows that you’re mated to a hellhound?”

  “Half.”

  “What?” Diablo furrowed his brows.

  “Half hellhound,” Reese corrected. “And that counts for something. People just need to learn that you aren’t like your kind. That your different.”

  Diablo gave a humorless laugh. “People don’t err on the side of reason when it comes to my kind. They lash out first, and maybe never ask questions later. They don’t care that I’m only part hellhound, Reese. They wouldn’t give a shit if I only had a drop of that in me. It’s there, and that’s all that matters.”

  Reese saw there was no reasoning with his mate. Diablo had led one fucked-up life, and it seemed he’d given up a long time ago when it came to defending himself. If he’d ever cared to defend himself at all. He wasn’t sure what to say to make Diablo stay. He seemed determined to take his shitty luck out the door, leaving Reese hurting for the rest of his life.

  “You’re a selfish son of a bitch!”

  Diablo blinked several times. “I’m selfish?”

  Reese stomped over to him, jabbing his finger against Diablo’s chest. “You’re only thinking of yourself right now.”

  “Are you fucking serious? I’m leaving to protect you.”

  “From what?” Reese demanded. “From the hole you’ll leave behind when you rabbit out of here? From the depression I’ll suffer through because my mate left me? Is that what you’re protecting both of us from, because we both know losing a mate sends most nonhumans over the edge, Diablo. Do you want me to give in to my dark side and forever roam as my wolf, never to be human again?”

  “Reese…”

  “Don’t you fucking Reese me. I’ll deal with a thousand hostile clients or no practice at all if it means keeping you at my side.” He shoved Diablo. “You thickheaded, stupid assnoodle. If you walk out that door, I’ll tackle you and duct tape you to our bed.”

  Reese saw the twitch at the side of Diablo’s mouth. “Assnoodle?”

  “It just slipped out. You’re not allowed to critique my cursing.” Reese slid his hands down Diablo’s biceps. “I get it. You’ve never had anyone in your corner. You’ve never had anyone fight for you before. You have that person now, Diablo. You no longer have the option of running. I won’t let you. I’ll sell my practice and come looking for you, and I won’t stop until we’re together again.”

  “You wouldn’t.”

  “Try me.” Reese crossed his arms. “You’re not the only stubborn person in this relationship.”

  Diablo growled. “You just don’t get it. I’m trying to save you the heartache.”

  “And I’m trying to save my relationship with the only guy who can truly make me happy.” Reese hated that hot tears sprang to his eyes. “Fight with me, Diablo, not against me. Isn’t our mating worth it?”

  Diablo cursed and pulled Reese into his strong arms. “You’re worth everything to me, sweetheart.”

  “Then why are you so ready to throw this away, to throw me away?”

  “To save you from what’s to come,” Diablo said against Reese’s hair.

  “You think I can’t handle it? You think I won’t go savage on anyone dumb enough to fuck with either of us?” He cupped Diablo’s scruffy jaw. “I’ll maim anyone who even thinks of harassing us.”

  “You’re sexy when you’re vicious.” Diablo grinned. “Kind of turns me on.” Reese laughed as Diablo used his thumbs to wipe away his tears. “Hate to see you cry.”

  “Then stop being an assnoodle.”

  Diablo chuckled. “I still don’t know what that is.”

  “Me either.” Reese pulled from Diablo’s arms. “Now put that bag away. We have a busy afternoon ahead of us.”

  Chapter Nine

  Diablo still wasn’t sure this was the right thing. Reese had lost a total of three clients when the nonhuman pet parent discovered what Diablo was. Reese didn’t seem to care, but Diablo did. He felt as though he was wrecking Reese’s practice.

  This was exactly why Diablo had taken the elixir in the first place. There wasn’t such a thing as fairness. Not when it came to hellhounds. The three shifters who resented Diablo being there never stopped to realize he wasn’t draining their joyous emotions. They didn’t stop to ask any questions that would have cleared things up. They’d had an attitude and hadn’t held back their opinions before storming out.

  Diablo touched the elixir bottle in his front pocket. He didn’t want to leave Reese. His mate was right. It would be pure hell to be separated, so the only thing Diablo could think to do was hide his scent again.

  “I just want to talk to him.”

  Diablo cocked his head and sniffed the air. He could hear the voices in the waiting area but didn’t want to go out there for another confrontation.

  Reese appeared in the back. “Diablo, Grey wants to talk to you.”

  Diablo knew who Grey Matthews was. The alpha of the wolf pack that ran this town. He’d sent some guys to patrol the area, but Diablo had made sure not to spread his scent around outside.

  “Why?”

  “Because I wanted to talk to you,” Grey said from behind them. “I’m hearing rumors that Reese has a hellhound working for him.”

  “He’s Luke’s dog,” Reese said. “We didn’t know he was a shifter until recently.”

  Diablo also knew that Reese was a part of Grey’s pack. It seemed claiming his mate had brought a hell of a lot of trouble to Reese’s doorstep.

  “Diablo?” Grey tilted his head to the side as he studied Diablo with those gray eyes of his. They were filled with curiosity and mistrust. “Why were you hiding all this time?”

  “I told you,” Reese said. “He has demons after him.”

  “You just left out one crucial fact,” Grey said with a slight snarl.

  “Does that matter?” Reese argued. “You know we can’t go against fate. We were handpicked for each other. And even if we weren’t, he doesn’t deserve to be hunted down for simply being who he is.”

  I’m holding back my temper by a thread. One, the two act like I’m not even in the room with them. Two, Grey is the alpha, and I’m really not trying to piss him off, but if he keeps snarling at Reese, my temper isn’t going to hold for much longer.

  “This is why…” Diablo said while showing teeth. “This is exactly why I’ve stayed hidden. You don’t even know me, and you’re judging me.”

  “I have a town to protect,” Grey snapped with just as much bite as Diablo had given. “I can’t have a hellhound among us, draining us, terrorizing the residents.”

  “Sorry, I wasn’t aware I was doing that. I must sleepwalk and don’t even know it.” Diablo’s hands were fists at his sides, and he was fighting tooth and nail not to slug the prick. “I’ll have Reese chain me to the bed tonight so my alter ego doesn’t terrorize the good citizens of Willow Point.”

  This was the same song and dance Diablo had gone through a thousand times. As soon as the alpha of a town realized what he was, the guy called for a rally to get rid of him. Diablo couldn’t count how many times men had gone for the spot behind his right ear, trying to send him back to mommy dearest. He’d rather be chained up in a pit of ravenous dire wolves than see his mother again.

  Dire wolves were a monstrous size—saber-toothed with green glowing eyes. Ferocious. Aggressive. They had dark gray fur or black or, on very rare occasions, white. They were very intelligent and brought back from the grave to hunt those they’d been sicced after. Only the person who brought them back could control them, and they didn’t stop hunting until the person they were after was dead. They could be killed, though only by beheading. Not even tearing their hearts out would stop them. It was hard to kill them because of their enormous size.

  And Diablo would rather be torn apart by a pack of them than go back to hell.

  Now Grey stood there, his expression dark, as if looking for any reason to run Diablo out of town. The only thing stopping the alpha, in Diablo’s opinion, was the fact that Reese was Diablo’s mate.

  “You have nothing to protect,” Reese said. “Diablo isn’t a threat, Grey. Is he zapping your happiness?”

  Grey opened his mouth then closed it. He stood there studying Diablo, sniffing him. Diablo was seconds away from slugging the guy if he didn’t stop smelling him.

  “Half hellhound,” Reese pointed out. “He doesn’t drain your emotions, and he doesn’t terrorize anyone. He has a good heart, Grey, and I’m sick and tired of our nonhuman residents passing judgment on him.”

  Grey rubbed at his jaw. “You’re right. He’s not draining me. Half-breed, huh?”

  “Yes,” Reese said. “I’m not hiding him, and I’m not going to be run from my home. Everyone in this town can bite me if they have a problem with my mate.”

  Diablo walked into the exercise yard. He was done with the conversation. What else was there to say? People were going to think what they wanted to think, no matter how hard Reese pled his case.

  He took the bottle of elixir from his pocket. As badly as he didn’t want to dull the bond he had with Reese, Diablo didn’t want to make his mate a pariah, either.

  “Don’t.”

  Grinding his teeth, Diablo looked over his shoulder to see Grey standing there, his arms crossed.

  “Don’t drink that stuff.”

  “Why not?” Diablo turned to face him. “If I don’t, Reese is going to continue to catch crap from everyone. I can’t have that on my conscience.”

  “That statement alone sets you apart from your species.” Grey moved closer. “I’ll admit I’m not perfect. Hellhounds have a nasty reputation, and rightfully so. But I jumped the gun when it came to you.”

  “News flash, you’re not the first, and you definitely won’t be the last.” Diablo pocketed the elixir. “The one thing I’m trying to do is protect Reese. Why do you think I have a demon hunting me down? He came after me for the simple fact of what I am. I fought back and scarred him, and now he has a hard-on for me.”

  “I’ll make it clear to my men to keep an eye on the place and not to attack you.”

  “Don’t do me any fucking favors.” Diablo was beyond pissed that he had to even go through this, that Reese had lost clients today because they were too close-minded to listen to reason. He was so over being judged that it wasn’t even funny. Anyone who’d dealt with this for three hundred years would be over it.

  “Watch your tone,” Grey snarled.

  “Or what?” Diablo asked. “You gonna run me out of town? Trust me when I tell you I never unpack. Why bother when my stay is never long in whatever backwater town I’m in? You wouldn’t be the first, and you won’t be the last, Grey Matthews.”

  He didn’t stick around to find out what else the alpha had to say. Diablo walked up the stairs and slammed the door behind him.

  * * * *

  “He’s got one hell of a chip on his shoulder,” Grey said when Reese came outside.

  “No, he has an entire forest weighing his shoulders down.” Reese was fuming. He’d gotten a glimpse of Diablo’s life today, and it wasn’t pretty. Reese was outraged when three of his clients walked out. Not because he’d lost them but because they felt they had a right to spout their hateful opinions at Diablo. Reese had wanted to knock them flat on their asses but, instead, had demanded they leave.

  Now his alpha. Reese had never been disappointed in Grey until today.

  Grey heaved a heavy sigh. “I should have talked to you first. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.”

  “No, you shouldn’t have. Diablo takes enough crap without my own alpha shitting on him.” Reese ran a hand over his head. “I killed one of the demons after him. I’ll kill anyone else who fucks with what’s mine.”

  Reese had all the respect in the world for Grey, but when it came to Diablo, Reese wasn’t holding back. Diablo needed someone in his corner, to know that his mate would fight right beside him. As far as Reese knew, Diablo had been going it alone for centuries. Not anymore.

  “I deserve your wrath,” Grey said. “I deserved Diablo’s, too. Now that I know he’s not a threat, he has the full backing of our pack.”

  It was on the tip of Reese’s tongue to get smart, but he knew he could go only so far before Grey put his foot down. He simply nodded before he went back inside. Reese wanted to go upstairs but doubted Diablo wanted coddling right now. Everyone just needed a breather, and Reese would give him that.

  He worked for the rest of the afternoon, his usually chipper mood gone, beaten down by assholes.

  “Tomorrow will be better.” Maggie squeezed Reese’s arm. “I’m not sure what’s going on, except a lot of hate, but no matter what, I’m sticking by you.”

  Reese patted her hand before she dropped it away. “What on earth would I do without you?”

  She smiled. “Be hopelessly lost.”

  “From your mouth to god’s ear.” Reese chuckled. “Go ahead and leave. I’ll lock up.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Maggie retrieved her purse from her desk and left. Reese checked on the few animals housed there then shut everything down, locked up, and went upstairs.